Canyons beta needed

[Duffman]

Although for a right coaster I get out to Utah quite a bit, I almost always ski LCC/BCC with the occasional trip up to pow mow and snowbasin. I'm going to be stuck in Park City by The Canyons for a few days for a friends party before I can make my way back to the cottonwoods after the weekend. Especially since the next few days may be shaping up decently, does anybody have any good info on how to spend a powder day at this place? Its the only one of the SLC areas I've never been to, and from casual conversation it sounds like its pretty easy to screw up and spend all day riding the wrong lifts to nowhere. Since it may be tough to convince the crew to jump in the car and take a ride down to Solitude for Friday, what should I do to maximize this place. Any beta is appreciated, and can be repaid in beer.

[Johnny Deep]

The Canyons is a mess of off fallline groomers. If you like that sort of thing, you have a blast. If you don't you'll be scratching your head at the end of the day asking WTF???

[Skidog]

so you have a party in park city? Cant you just rent a car/take a van or something to the cottonwoods for the day????

The wasatch back will see much less snow from this event me thinks.

[jwitzz]

Trees off of Tombstone (lookers left) for first run or two of the day (depending on if the next two lifts are open). Lap 9990 and Peak 5 back to the lifts until you had enough then ski off the north side of 9990 the higher track farther out usually skis better. That goes back to lodge so if thats good i'd ski that some more. There is some great backcountry right off the 9990 lift that funnels back to the lifts. I would stay around that area Tombstone/Peak 5/9900 unless Murdoch's is open (hike to inbounds bowl) far lookers right of the hill. Some of the runs could be skiing pretty good if there is a lot of snow.

[stiffpicken]

phantasm woods off of dreamcatcher chair is a solid run on a pow day ... if you find yourself that far out you might as well stay there & just do laps off that chair. there is a nice little outdoor grill at bottom of dreamscape chair where u can grab a burger/beer. not a bad way to spend a pow day at the canyons, but definitely hit 9990 first

[Duffman]

Im thinking the same thing about this SW flow, but what do I know? I have a car, but kind of agreed to hang with these guys a bit. Obviously if the snow totals are really skewed, screw it and I'm hopping on 80, but if there is something worth hitting at the Canyons / PC area I would like to try and stay for at least a day. Considering I just got back from a long weekend in Cottonwood heights monday of last week and will be down there from sunday-friday next week, my friends may give me grief if I bail on them, and a bunch of them are too lazy to drive an hour. Annoying, but I'm trying to make the best of it.

so you have a party in park city? Cant you just rent a car/take a van or something to the cottonwoods for the day????

The wasatch back will see much less snow from this event me thinks.

[Long Duck Dong]

If the snow is good, you'll have an awesome day at the Canyons. I'm a recovering LCC and BCC skier (passes at Solitude and several years at Alta). I love all the ignorant Canyons bashing. Its one of the reasons you can lap 9990 and see your old tracks all morning while hoards of people are pushing each other off of traverses at Alta. True, the snow totals don't usually compare. And the Collins access right from the parking lot is great, but 2/3 of the people at Alta are riding one lift on a pow day. You tend to notice it.

I'd recommend Tombstone laps and watch the lightboard on top when you get off the lift for the opening of 9990. The spin laps of that. I'm a huge fan of the north side off 9990, although it takes you back to Red Pine and you have to ride Tombstone to get back to 9990. Its a pain, but its usually preserved for a long time.

[Duffman]

Thanks. Being that I don't know the area at all around Dutches and won't have a reliable partner, I'll have to stay in the gates, but at least these sound decent.

Trees off of Tombstone (lookers left) for first run or two of the day (depending on if the next two lifts are open). Lap 9990 and Peak 5 back to the lifts until you had enough then ski off the north side of 9990 the higher track farther out usually skis better. That goes back to lodge so if thats good i'd ski that some more. There is some great backcountry right off the 9990 lift that funnels back to the lifts. I would stay around that area Tombstone/Peak 5/9900 unless Murdoch's is open (hike to inbounds bowl) far lookers right of the hill. Some of the runs could be skiing pretty good if there is a lot of snow.

[Duffman]

Cool. Long laps don't bother me too much (I hit Solitude a lot, so pretty used to it back in Honeycomb)

If the snow is good, you'll have an awesome day at the Canyons. I'm a recovering LCC and BCC skier (passes at Solitude and several years at Alta). I love all the ignorant Canyons bashing. Its one of the reasons you can lap 9990 and see your old tracks all morning while hoards of people are pushing each other off of traverses at Alta. True, the snow totals don't usually compare. And the Collins access right from the parking lot is great, but 2/3 of the people at Alta are riding one lift on a pow day. You tend to notice it.

I'd recommend Tombstone laps and watch the lightboard on top when you get off the lift for the opening of 9990. The spin laps of that. I'm a huge fan of the north side off 9990, although it takes you back to Red Pine and you have to ride Tombstone to get back to 9990. Its a pain, but its usually preserved for a long time.

[nbt]

Canyons is actually the best sidecountry resort in Utah. I would try to find a partner since the snowpack is stabilizing. During SW flows Park City area resorts actually get more snow than the ctnwds. It's the only time this happens is when the storm is southern, then PC gets more. 9990 is also overrated, there really is no good fall line there. If you have to stay in bounds and it is a big storm, the chutes off of Condor lift and Murdoch bowl are the best. All the tourists are at 9990 and condor has the best terrain in those chutes. They need a good dump though to be good.

OR

Go to PCMR and ski Jupiter chair, it is quality. Good hike to terrain off it. Nothing at the Canyons is as good as Jupiter.

[schindlerpiste]

The people bashing the Can. don't know shit. There is some of the most and easiest access to some of the best slackcountry terrain in UT. I have season's passes to both Snowbird and The Can. When the line to LCC is long, the lift lines will be longer. That's when I don't hesitate to ski the Can. Take the 9990 lift, then hike up the stairway, then traverse to wherever you want...it's all good. Take the Super Condor lift, hike the stairway, and then traverse out to 100 turns. It's amazing.
Make sure you take your beacon, probe, shovel and partner with you.
It's not an easy mountain to figure out, but once you do, it rivals most anything. Great trees, great back country access...fuck the groomers. However, not nearly as much snow ass BCC and/or LCC.

[ripvanwinter]

I end up at PCMR fairly often on family trips and will second the Jupiter Chair Comment above

Very few people ski the slow chairs (jupiter, motherlode) at park city. Hike to Jupiter peak a week after the last storm and it will still be soft, the woods from that ridge back down are barely ever skied in either. Had no problem finding soft lines in there this MLK weekend even after the month long drought.

very entertaining for 3 days of exploring.

[MMP]

spend a powder day

I have a car, but kind of agreed to hang with these guys a bit.

my friends may give me grief if I bail on them, and a bunch of them are too lazy to drive an hour.

the phrases "powder day" and "agreed to hang with them cancel each other out".

If it's a powder day, they seem like they would get dropped quickly, so who cares if you ride to the same or different resorts to ski separately?

[Duffman]

cant argue with MMP's logic above. But still appreciate the beta above. and if the storm totals are close , it might be cool to check out something different for a change of pace.

[Duffman]

Just wanted to thank everybody for the info above. Skied a half day at the canyons Thursday and it was puking pretty good at the top. Bit of a pain how many long lifts had to be ridden to get up to the good stuff, but did a few 9990 laps skiers left, then two runs down the red pine chutes all the way back to tombstone that were really filled in and skiing well. Hit a few tombstone tree runs too. Only thing I noticed is the base is noticeably thinner than the cottonwood mtns and a lot of uncovered rocks and downed trees were hiding in the trees, especially off tombstone. Fun terrain though. Today we saw the snow report and headed to PCMR. Mcconkeys bowl an trees was DEEP in the am, then we hit Jupiter. Unbelievable conditions there. Kept hiking Scott's bowl and got knee to waist deep untouched pockets and tons of face shots. Stayed there most of the day. Still soft and deep despite being cut up at 3 pm, didn't get cruddy at all. I want to take a ride down to Alta tomorrow, since the PC resorts will probably be ridiculously crowded tomorrow, but then again so will LCC on a sat after picking up nearly 2 ft